The nationwide survey of 1,800 respondents, conducted Feb. 21 to 25, came after the Senate committee of the Whole recommended censuring Villar for unethical conduct and allegations of bribery in connection with the C-5 road project.

Pulse Asia said its latest survey results were consistent with a Jan. 28 to Feb. 3 Taylor Nelson Sofres survey showing Aquino regaining the lead following the Senate report recommending Villar’s censure.

In an interview on the cable news channel ANC, Aquino’s spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, said the C-5 controversy was taking its toll on Villar, whom he said showed poor leadership when he refused to answer questions from his Senate colleagues about the controversy.

He added that Villar was now faced with other allegations of corruption, the latest coming from Senator Richard Gordon, who claims that Villar tried to bribe him to drop out of the race. Villar denies the accusation.

In the February survey, administration candidate Gilberto Teodoro obtained 7 percent, a 2 percentage point increase from the January 2010 survey.